The Best Pumpkin Butters To Indulge In This Fall

The subject of today's feature is something I think should be enjoyed year-round. Understandably, pumpkin butter is most popular in fall, and there's something to be said for the seasonality of this treat; it makes it all the more special when you do finally see your favorite retailer put the spread on its shelves every year. If you're anything like me, though, you like to be bougie with your autumnal indulgences. While you can absolutely make your own pumpkin butter (and it's actually pretty easy to do so), why not save yourself some labor and buy a stellar pumpkin butter from a tried-and-true maker?

I took the opportunity to round up some of the best pumpkin butters on the market. I narrowed in on my picks by selecting from small businesses and largely choosing butters with minimal ingredients, before tasting each to determine whether it was worthy of a spot here (for more about my methodology, head to the end of this piece). If you notice a brand overlap between this and a recent roundup of apple butters I wrote about, that's no coincidence; shockingly enough, there's a fair bit of crossover between the two, and companies that excelled at one also generally carried a prime example of the other. Without further ado, grab one of the following jars before you make your first loaf of pumpkin bread — the two will be a match made in heaven. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Not only has Ozark Mountain been in business for over 20 years, but it also supports local Ozark region farmers whenever it can, a cause well worthy of some attention. The company specializes in jams, jellies, honey, syrups, and pickled fruits and vegetables. Though I only got its pumpkin butter and apple butter, I'm dying to try its butter pecan syrup and elderberry jelly. Notably, I also found its pumpkin butter to be on the cheaper side, with an 18-ounce jar only priced at $6.71 (at the time of writing, and before shipping costs).

Ozark Mountain says its pumpkin butter "captures the essence of autumn in every spoonful," and I can't say I disagree. Texturally, this may have been the smoothest butter of the bunch — it had a viscous texture akin to thick honey, and it's strongly spiced (a feature that I always love). Heavy cinnamon is present throughout the taste, and it's slightly sharpened by nutmeg and clove on the backend. Just one taste had me salivating. If you want a butter that's dressed up enough not to taste like pure pumpkin, this would be a good bet for you. I'd also recommend using this pumpkin butter to create some easy fall drinks — it's well-balanced between being sweet and sharp, so you won't have to worry about it making any concoction too saccharine. 

As an Oregonian, I already knew I loved the Oregon Growers brand (I always have a jar of its marionberry jam on hand) — its apple butter had a pleasant touch of thyme to it, and so I wasn't surprised to also love its pumpkin butter offering. The company uses seasonal, local produce from Oregon's Hood River Valley, and its pumpkin butter in particular is made with Cinderella pumpkins. Other than the pumpkins, the only ingredients in this butter are cane sugar, molasses, vanilla, spices, and citric acid. 

Oregon Growers' pumpkin butter has a very thick consistency similar to plain pumpkin puree, so I was unsurprised to find that its actual pumpkin flavor was very apparent. However, the citric acid also showed itself — the butter had a pleasant, lemony tang to it. Molasses added a rich depth to the butter, and while spices were tangible, they sat in the background. Unless you really love the taste of pumpkins, this may not be the best spread for plain toast, but it would taste lovely atop some fall ice cream or a sweet, gooey bake. 

Located in the oldest town in New England, Plimoth Patuxet Museums maintains a focus on being a premier cultural resource for the region's history. It offers a plethora of ways for visitors (especially students) to learn about the area's native Wampanoag tribe, partnering with the Indigenous community to provide as accurate a representation of its history as possible. Of course, it also has a shop where you can get a plethora of souvenirs, books, clothes, and other goods — including pantry shelf staples like pumpkin butter. 

A first taste of this spread gave me some ample nutmeg notes, which I considered a good thing, as I'm partial to the spice. Cinnamon also came through strongly and even added some heat to the butter (though I wouldn't call it at all spicy). Funnily enough, I noticed the same pleasant, warm, unidentifiable flavor here that I found in Plimoth Patuxet's apple butter. It was something vintage and homey; for lack of a better comparison, it tasted like the museum put some of its own essence into the butter. As it's smooth, well-spiced, and not at all too sweet, I'd recommend pairing this butter with something that's already sweet enough — a pumpkin streusel muffin, for example. 

Braswell's is a huge private label manufacturer for the country, so if you've ever tried a brand's spread that wasn't made in-house, there's a somewhat decent chance it was made by Braswell's. The company only uses the best quality ingredients in its spreads, and it sources locally when it can; given the fact that it's been in operation for over 75 years, it's clearly doing something right. Its pumpkin butter is made with pumpkin, cane sugar, light brown sugar, lemon juice concentrate, pectin, natural flavor, salt, and spices.

I can certainly attest to the unapologetically stellar flavor of this pumpkin butter — one bite had me marveling at how much it tasted like a fall festival. The pumpkin and spices are very well-balanced, giving the spread a warm, comforting, pumpkin pie-esque vibe that instantly put me in a cozy mood. Its body is very slightly textured — thick without being grainy — which allows it to hold its own alongside whatever you pair it with. I was dying to spread this on some pumpkin bread, though its delicate sweet-spiced-savory balance would allow it to accommodate a variety of bakes. 

Sidehill Farm has been in operation since the '70s, growing what was initially a jam-making hobby into a bona fide business venture. The company utilizes traditional family recipes when making its spreads and uses minimal ingredients — for example, it never uses pectin or anything artificial. The difference is apparent in the company's spreads, of which there are almost too many to choose from (personally, I'm dying to try the lemon curd). The company's pumpkin butter is sweetened with Vermont maple syrup; the only other ingredients are pumpkin, pure cane sugar, brown sugar, water, spices, and citric acid. 

Immediately upon opening the jar, I loved the scent of the spices, which was potent and wafted out readily. I had the feeling this would taste fairly strong, and I was right — the spices left a little pleasant sharpness on my tongue, and I'd even say that they slightly overtake the pumpkin in this spread (which I liked quite a bit). Moreover, this butter had a thinner body than many of the other spreads here, which I think works to its advantage, especially given its particularly potent flavor. It melts in the mouth and will absolutely stand out in whatever you decide to pair it with. 

Well, you already know I'm absolutely in love with Trader Joe's — obviously, I had to buy a jar of its pumpkin butter when it popped up on shelves for only $2.99. Being that it was so cheap, I had my doubts about this butter. Could it really earn a spot alongside the smaller-batch butters on this list? I should've had more faith in my favorite brand, as this may have been my favorite pumpkin butter of the bunch (it was also one of the sweetest). This spread is made with pumpkin, sugar, honey, lemon juice concentrate, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. 

I could tell this was sweetened with some honey when I tasted it, and I really appreciated the character that honey brought to the spread. Lemon juice concentrate adds a bright, sharp appeal to the sweet butter while spices bring in a ton of warmth. Overall, this was one of the most well-balanced butters of the bunch, and would be my choice if I just wanted a simple accompaniment to plain toast. Its consistency is as smooth as one could hope for, and it holds its shape without being too thick. Should you see this jar in your local TJ's, buy it without hesitation. It's also sweet enough to make a lovely homemade pumpkin spice latte. 

Though primarily a tea-centric brand, Simpson & Vail also has a hearty selection of baking mixes and jarred spreads on its online store; while I've only tried its pumpkin and apple butters, each was good enough that I wouldn't hesitate to try other offerings from the brand. Simpson & Vail has been family-operated since its eponymous founders bought the tea company in 1929. Its whole selection of spreads looks heavenly, with unique offerings like spiced butter rum preserves, amaretto butter, cherry curd, and even clotted cream for sale. 

All you'll find in Simpson & Vail's pumpkin butter are pumpkins, sugar, water, lemon juice, and spices. Perhaps best of all (and something that makes this butter stand out from the rest) is that you can use this jar to make an easy pumpkin pie — just combine it with evaporated milk and eggs, pour into a pie crust, and bake. The butter itself has a really smooth mouthfeel and is thick enough to stand in peaks. It tastes strongly of cinnamon while its pumpkin flavor comes through at the end of the bite; as a cinnamon fangirl, that just further endeared me to the spread. This butter would taste wonderful paired with any pumpkin bake, but I'd also love to try it on a simple cinnamon bread. 

Washington-based Country Mercantile has been selling quality goods and produce since 1996. Since then, it's also become something of a destination for locals, offering both an annual harvest festival as well as tours of its chocolate factory. Should you find yourself in the area, it would be worth stopping at Country Mercantile for a visit; fortunately for those outside of the Pacific Northwest, you can buy its goods online. The company's pumpkin butter is made with minimal ingredients — only pumpkin, sugar, and spices are listed on the label. 

Given its short ingredients list, I was surprised to find some unique (and welcome) flavors in this spread. Most notably, I think I tasted more ginger here than in the others on this list. I couldn't definitively say it was ginger, but it was aromatic, earthy, and slightly sharp, a great contrast to the rest of the butter. Also, surprisingly, given the very orange color of the spread, I didn't think its pumpkin flavors overwhelmed. Its body is super smooth and thick, and it almost looks like a vodka tomato sauce when you open the jar, with a very similar color and consistency. This will be another great choice for the pumpkin purists out there, and it's still spiced enough to bring ample fall flavors into the equation. 

Abbey Farms is, as it sounds, an expansive farm owned and operated by the Benedictine monks of Marmion Abbey. The farm itself hosts seasonal events year-round, including Christmas Joy from the end of November up until Christmas, and Pumpkin Daze from the end of September through October. Should you be able to visit in person, you'll find an expansive farm store on site, boasting 6,000 square feet of space for its specialty foods. Obviously, pumpkin butter is among them — this one is made with pumpkin, cane sugar, light brown sugar, lemon juice concentrate, fruit pectin, natural flavor, salt, and spices. 

As with the company's apple butter, I suspect its pumpkin butter may be a private label from Braswell's, given their identical ingredient lists and remarkably similar flavors. However, the textures of the two were different enough for each to merit its own spot here. Abbey Farms' selection had a slightly thicker, more jellied texture, and I also found its flavor to be a little subtler. Pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg are definitely present here, but none of them hit too hard, making this a good spread if you need your pumpkin butter to blend with other flavors. Alternatively, this would be a good butter to buy if you're wary about trying the spread for the first time. It's very well-balanced and not at all too strong in any respect. 

Lastly, we have Mast Store Provisioners, which has the greatest longevity of any brand here — it's been in operation since 1883. The company's home base is Valle Crucis, North Carolina, but it also has several other shopfronts in the region. Moreover, it's an employee-owned operation that now retails in several different departments, including clothing and home goods, alongside the obvious staple pantry fare. Its pumpkin butter is made with pumpkin, sugar, citric acid, and spices. 

If I had to pick one butter on this list that most closely resembled pumpkin puree in taste and appearance, it would have to be Mast Store's. Opening the jar immediately unleashed the pleasant smell of canned pumpkin with some spices following, and it tasted the same, though the spices did lift it just out of canned pumpkin territory. I wouldn't be surprised if this jar, like Simpson & Vail's, also made an easy pumpkin pie. Don't want to risk it? Then eat it straight on a warm piece of your favorite sweet bread, or even some pumpkin spice French toast. Pumpkin purists will appreciate this jar. 

What went into rounding up the best pumpkin butters out there? Well, when gathering samples for review, I looked for small businesses that have been in operation for at least a few decades, as well as companies whose pumpkin butters had good reviews. I tasted all the samples I got, and had I not liked any of them, this would have been a smaller list — fortunately, that wasn't the case here. 

I had fairly liberal criteria as far as what the pumpkin butters "should" taste like. At the end of the day, I was looking for a balance between pumpkin and other spices used, and I certainly didn't want anything to taste overly sweetened or artificial. Though the flavors of all these butters varied pretty widely, all delivered on those points, and I think different consumers will find different preferences here. Those who want a purer pumpkin flavor should go for a selection like Oregon Growers'; consumers wanting something on the sweet side will probably love Trader Joe's; and anyone wanting something more spiced should try Simpson & Vail's.